Russell Eyeing Positive Pre-season Preparation

Limerick manager Martin Russell is hoping his squad can have “as positive a pre-season as we can”, after they returned to the training pitch on Monday.
 

Having undergone testing with Sports Scientist Derek McCarthy on Friday, the players were on the field with Russell on Monday morning and then had a gym session in the afternoon.
 

With a number of slots still to be filled in his squad, the former UCD boss is set to look at different options during pre-season.
 

But the 47-year-old is confident that they will be “ready to go” come 7 March kick-off against Bohemians at the Markets Field.
 

“It has been very good. Friday was the testing day for the boys and Monday we started pre-season training in earnest,” Russell told LimerickFC.ie after the double session.
 

“The lads have done fine. Derek has done some testing with them and I’m more than happy with them. The thing now is to keep pushing on and having as positive a pre-season as we can.
 

“The lads in the first session on Monday worked very hard and I think that will be the way forward as well. We’ll just build on it now through the weeks, with the focus being that come the first game of the season that we’ve got a competitive unit there.
 

“We’ve signed some players back, we’ve added some new additions and we’ll have more additions to come in the following weeks. With pre-season, it’s that time that gives you the opportunity to bring players in and see how they’re going to add into your group.
 

“That’s the important thing with, as I said, a focus on come the first game that we’re ready to go. There are one or two players (from last season) that I’m speaking to but everything is budget-permitting.
 

“It’s trying to get the balance of the team right that we don’t have too many players in certain positions. We’ll see on additions in the upcoming weeks.

“Individually, there will probably be additions every now and again. I was prepared for that. As I said, we’ve got to do everything in a way that maintains that we have a stable club and it’s able to sustain itself in regards to the budget and the other developments that are going on in the club. That’s the focus.

“I’m not particularly worried. The ones that I have at the moment I’m happy to have, and the ones that I think will come in during the next few weeks, it will be okay come kick-off time. We’ll have plenty of time to work on things and I’m prepared for that.”

Under-19 manager Tommy Barrett assisted Russell at training on Monday and the boss said he would look at the younger players in supplementing his own squad.

“The likes of Ross Mann, Val Feeney, and Tony Whitehead – a previous Under-19 player – have played in the first team and there are always going to be opportunities for the right ones,” Martin said.

“We’re trying to put the demands higher on all of our players from senior players down to Under-19s, because that’s the only way that we can make ourselves competitive in the top league in the country.

“If the players show they’re good enough, they’ll get the opportunity, and hopefully they go with it.”